Members of the Nigeria Union of Teachers in Anambra State on Tuesday participated in a nationwide peaceful protest to demand the release of teachers and students currently being held captive by kidnappers and terrorist groups in parts of the country, particularly Oyo and Borno states.
The demonstration followed a directive from the national leadership of the union, which also ordered all primary and secondary school teachers in Oyo State to withdraw their services from Monday, June 1, 2026, until further notice.
The teachers marched from the NUT Secretariat in Awka to the Anambra State Government House, popularly known as the Light House, displaying placards and calling for the immediate, unconditional and safe release of all abducted teachers and students.
The protesters urged both federal and state authorities to move beyond assurances and take concrete steps to secure the victims’ freedom, stressing that schools should remain safe spaces for learning rather than targets for criminal attacks.
Messages on the placards included, “Set our pupils, students and teachers free from captivity,” “Stop kidnapping of teachers and students now,” “Classrooms must not become battlefields,” “Government take action, not empty promises,” and “Teachers deserve security, not fear.”
Addressing the protesters, Anambra State NUT Chairman, Chika Chukwudozie, said the rally was organised in solidarity with teachers and students who remain in captivity without any indication of an imminent rescue.
Chukwudozie said, “On May 15, 2026, seven teachers and 39 pupils/students were kidnapped from their schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
“On the same day, over 40 pupils/students were abducted from Mussa Primary and Secondary Schools in Askira Uba Local Government Area of Borno State.
“For over two weeks now, the innocent teachers and learners are still in captivity under inhumane conditions, leaving their families to live in fear and anguish.
“It is heartbreaking to note that two of our colleagues have been gruesomely murdered in cold blood by the bandits in Oyo State.
“While the fate of the remaining abductees hangs in the balance, we hear the trembling voices of our teachers crying for help from the government and well-meaning Nigerians to secure their release from the kidnappers.”
She lamented that professionals who devote their lives to shaping the future of children had become victims of violent crimes.
“Theirs is a noble profession and a selfless service to humanity. They mould characters, nurture dreams, prepare future leaders, and build the nation.
“Today, we demand the immediate, unconditional and safe release of all teachers and learners in captivity across the length and breadth of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“We gather with one accord to state unequivocally that the safety of teachers and learners must never be treated with levity.
“We stand with one voice to insist that an attack on teachers is an attack on education, and an attack on education is an attack on the future of Nigeria.
“Today, we cry for justice and demand action. We refuse to accept the attacks on our schools and the kidnapping of educators and schoolchildren as normal ways of life.
“This event signifies a wake-up call that every day spent in captivity is another day of pain, trauma and uncertainty for the abducted teachers, learners and their families.
“It is also a reminder that any attack on schools is not only a serious setback to quality education delivery.
“It is a drift of our nation into a bleak, hopeless and miserable future for its citizenry,” she added.
She further assured the abducted teachers and students that efforts to secure their release would continue and that they had not been abandoned.
Responding on behalf of the state government, the Deputy Chief of Staff to the Governor and Chief of Staff to the Deputy Governor, Okechukwu Egbuna, received the protesters and pledged to convey their concerns to Governor Chukwuma Soludo.
“Your message has been received and I’ll personally deliver it to Mr Governor for his immediate response.
“God will touch the hearts of the kidnappers so they set their abductees free soon and unconditionally,” he added.
